episode one is tragic because it's only a few steps away from being a good movie, but as it is it's a pile of trash.
step 1) more maul. he has such a damn cool design it hurts that his character was thrown away so readily. if he didn't die at the end and continued to be a threat throughout episode two, and maybe three, that creates an emotional arc for him and Obi-Wan. here's the key events maul should have in the trilogy:
- fight Jinn and Kenobi on naboo, kill Jinn, traumatise Kenobi, and escape (or get repaired and maybe restored as a cyborg, Grievous style)
- continue to play a role in the emperor's plans throughout episode two, perhaps replacing Dooku. it would be cool if Dooku were actually a good guy, but he still left the jedi to clear his mind, then maul bests him and kills him.
- fight Anakin and Kenobi on geonosis (or wherever), and slice off Anakin's hand, as Dooku does in AotC. this means that Obi-Wan has lost the present (Qui Gon), the past (Dooku [who trained Qui Gon]), and the future (Anakin) - all by maul.
- Kenobi and Maul have an insanely emotional duel, which ends with Kenobi avenging his master and his apprentice.
step 2) pick a main character. the movie doesn't have one, and it's a problem for 2 and 3 as well. the main character should be Obi-Wan, and we should see Qui Gon as a master-like figure instead of the main character, like Ben in episode 4.
step 3) take out george lucas and all his dumbass annoying crap like jar jar and jabba and freakin kid anakin and the space battle at the end, and replace all of that crap with scenes that build the characters to actually have characters. get someone who can take criticism to direct the film.
step 4) change naboo to alderaan. it adds further depth to the series without compromising anything.
step 5) nobody gives a shit about the trade federation and the senate and the treaty and the politics or any of that crap.
step 6) fix the lightsaber duels - in the original trilogy the duels are so insanely awesome because of their meanings and how much emotion was in them. instead of neat choreography and fancy effects, why not establish some kind of deeper meaning to the characters' actions
i don't think we have the time to talk about episode two, but Empire is without doubt the best star wars film.